Cristiano Ronaldo denies having obscene nickname for Barcelona's Lionel Messi as he threatens legal action over book claims

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has denied claims that he has an obscene nickname for Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

Spanish journalist Guillem Balague claims in his book 'MESSI' that the Real Madrid star not only uses the derogatory nickname for the Argentine international, but any of his Real Madrid team-mates who he sees speaking with him.

Serialised in the Telegraph, Balague writes: "Ronaldo, perhaps as a symptom of the immaturity that marks so many footballers, thinks it necessary to put on a brave face in front of his team-mates, not be scared of Messi and to rise to the challenge. All very macho; all very false.

"And that is why, according to some Real Madrid players, CR7 has a nickname for him: ‘motherf----r’; and if he sees someone from the club speaking to Leo, he also ends up being baptised ‘motherf----r’."

But the 29-year-old Real Madrid star has hit back at Balague's claims, and has threatened to take legal action as a result.

In a short statement released via his official Facebook page, Ronaldo wrote: "News is circulating that I allegedly made offending remarks regarding Lionel Messi.